Prop attachment for ladders



April 1952 J. A. BURKE 2,592,006

PROP ATTACHMENT FOR LADDERS Filed Aug. 17, 1948 INVENTOR. tier/76s ii20456.

11 152W jigs.

Patented Apr. '8, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PROP ATTACHMENT FORLADDERS James A. Burke,,Brandon, Wis., assignor of oriethird to Wayne J.Gibbons and one-third to Melvin W. Gibbons, both of Brandon, Wis.

Application August 17, 1948,.Serial No. 44,779

3 Claims. (Cl. 228-60) V This invention relates to braces, extensions orsupports for attachment to a ladder so that the top of the ladder, whenerected in working. position, will be spaced. from the surface againstwhich the top of the latter would ordinarily rest in the absence of sucha support, brace or extension.

Ladders are used in work on the sides, walls, roofs or eaves ofbuildings at heights where the part or area to be worked on are notwithin reach from the ground or from relatively low supports of typesother than ladders. For such work, ladders are in many respects unsafe,inconvenient and unsatisfactory. For instance, when work is to be doneon an eaves trough or gutter, a ladder cannot rest on the trough orgutter, so that the workman must lean backwards and away from theladder, which is extremely hazardous. When soldering is to be done, theworkman cannot lean forward and must use both hands, with consequentdanger of falling. If the ladder leans against the wall surface belowthe trough or gutter, the inside of the trough or gutter is notaccessible from above tothe workman.

For painting a wall a ladder must be moved after the wall areaaccessible to the painter has been painted, and then the same area must.be finished with the ladder moved to a closely adjacent position, sincethe area contacted by the'ends of the ladder cannot be covered by thepainter when the. ladder is in its first position.

For work around the corners of a building, a ladder must be leaned firstagainst one wall forming the corner and then against the other wall, thewhole corner area not being within the reach of a workman at anyonetime.

To overcome these and other inconveniences and hazards encountered inworking on ordinary ladders I have now provided an extension, brace orsupport removably and adjustably attachable to the top of a laddersothat the top of a ladder can be supported from the upper part, wall orroof of a building. in spaced relationship thereto.

This brace 01" extension comprises a generally u-shaped frame havingouter rounded bight portions from which project relatively short legs.The latter may be rigidified by a connecting cross bar extendingtransversely of the legs and well within the end portions thereof; Themiddle portion of'the bight is provided with means for attaching theframe to an upper rung of a ladder, and these means are preferably soarranged as to hold the frame at right angle to the ladder while thelatter is being erected. A chain having a terminal hook adapted toengage another ladder rung is suspended from the cross bar to hold theextension or brace against swinging movement relative to the ladderafter the latter, has been erected. Further, removable extension legsmay be attached to the frame to project inwardly and forwardly at about45 angle so that the ladder can be supported frdm the two wall surfaceson each side ofa corner whereby the ladder will straddle the corner. Theends of the fame legs and also of the extension legs are preferablyprovided with a rubber covering, for increased frictional resistanceagainst slippage over a supporting surface.

By the use of my novel device, a ladder can be erected and supportedfrom the wall or roof of a building in spaced relationship thereto sothat a workman can reach the whole area in front of the ladder and cando this from above and while leaning forward, without need for holdingon to the ladder. Both sides of a corner can be reached at one and thesame time and, no matter what structure is being worked on, thestructure is not only accessible butcan also be displaced, removed orotherwise manipulated.

It is therefore an important part of the present invention to provide anextension, support or brace removably and adjustably attachable to thetop of a ladder to hold its top in spaced relationship to the roof orwall of a building so as to make work from the top 0f a ladder safe andconvenient and to allow the workman full access to a large area fromabove or from in front, without any necessity-for holding on to'theladder and without interfering with the structure beingworked' upon.

Another important part of this invention is to provide a ladder brace orsupport of a type indicated comprising a generally U-shaped frameattachable at its bight to an upper rung of a ladder, a crossbarconnectingthe two legs of the frame, a chain suspended from said crossbar having. a terminal hook capable of engaging another ladder rung forpreventing collapsing movement of said frame relativeto the ladder, andextension legs removably at tachable to the frame for supporting the topof the ladder from the two sides of the corner of a building. g

Other and further objects and features of this invention will becomeapparent from the following description and appended claims taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawing which shows, by way of an:illustrative example,

a device according to the present invention More particularly:

Figure 1 is a side view, with parts broken away and other parts shown insection, of a ladder provided with a brace according to the presentinvention as supported from the roof of a building;

Figure 2 is a side view, with parts broken away and other parts shown insection, of a ladder provided with a brace shown in Figure 1 assupported from the wall of a building;

Figure 3 is a view from above of a ladder provided with the brace shownin Figure 1 as supported, by means of extension legs, from the two sidesof the corner of a building (shown in section) Figure 4 is a detailview, with parts broken away, showing the attachment of the removableextension legs to the frame of the brace;

Figure 5 is a detail side view, with parts in vertical cross section,showing the attachment of'the brace to the'rung of a ladder; and

Figure 6 is a detail side view, with parts in vertical cross section,showing the attachment of the chain to the cross bar.

In Figures 1 through 3, a brace according to the present invention isindicated generally by the reference numeral III, a ladder of theconventional type by the reference numeral II, and a building by thereference numeral I3. The ladder has uprights l5 and rungs H. Thebuilding has an overhanging roof l9 carrying a gutter 2| and walls 23and 25 forming a corner 21.

The brace l comprises a generally U-shaped frame made up of a centralstraight bight portion I6, generally straight legs l8 and 20 and curvedportions 22 and 24 connecting the straight bight portion l6 respectivelywith the legs 20 and 24.

The frame is suitably constructed of metal tubing having the requisitestrength. The ends of the arms l8 and 20 are preferably covered withrubber, as by covering the same with rubber hand grip pieces 26 of theconventional type used, for instance, on bicycle handle bars.

The straight frame portion l6 has rigidly attached thereto two U-shapedbrackets 28 and 30 spaced from each other and extending in the plane ofthe frame away from the legs l8 and 20. The terminal portions of thelegs of these brackets are formed with upper and lower lugs 32 and 34(see Figure pierced by aligned apertures receiving a bolt 36 threadedlyengaged by a wing nut 38 outside the bracket.

Thetwo arms 20 and i8 of the frame are connected and rigidified by across bar 40 extendin in parallelism with the straight bight portion l6and fixedly attached to the legs I8 and 20 near their junction with thecurved frame portions 22 and 24.

I The cross bar may be formed of metal tubing of adequatestrength. Aclamp 42 is adapted to be tightened about the cross bar (at the middlethereof) by a nut and bolt (See Fig. 6). The clamp 42 is formed with alug 46 having an eye by means of'which a chain 48 is suspended. Thechain 48] has a terminal hook 50 adapted to be hooked around a rung ofthe ladder II in 0 manner described hereinbelow.

" Internallythreaded sockets 52 and 54 extend inwardly and forwardlyfrom the frame legs [8 and 20, respectively, at an angle of about 45.These sockets are adapted to receive and hold the externally threadedends of twe extension arms56 and 58, which, when so held, will extendinwardly and forwardly from about the middle of the arms [8 and 20 at anangle of about 45 der.

past the rubber covered ends 26 of the arms l8 and 20. Similarly to thefree ends of the arms l8 and 29, the rree enos of the extension arms 56and 58 are covered with rubber, for instance, by having rubber handlegrips 60 fitted thereover.

Three different ways of supporting the ladder II against the building l3by means of the brace 10 are illustrated in the drawing. As shown inFigure 1, the two brackets 28 and 30 may be placed over the highest rungon the ladder H, and the pulleys 36 and wing nut 38 are attached to thebrackets and tightened so that the brackets will engage the top rung andthe brace I0 will be held at an angle of about with the ladder againstswinging movement relative to the lad- This attachment is carried outbefore the ladder is erected, and the frictional resistance onered bythe tightened clamps 1s sunicient to insure that the frame will extendgenerally normaliy from the ladder while the ladder is being erected.Further, the hook 50 1S slipped over the next to the highest rung or theladder, which may then be supported from the roof I9 with the rubbercovered ends 25 of the extension resting on the roof. When in thisposition, the clamp 48 prevents folding of the brace 10 against theladder under the influence of the weight of a workman. It will be notedthat the eaves trough or gutter 2| is easily accessible to a workmanfrom above and from in front, without any necessity for holding on tothe ladder; that the trough may be moved or replaced since the ladderdoes not rest on the trough or gutter; and that for the installation ofa new trough or gutter the new trough or gutter may be carried up to theroof on the inner side of the ladder. Further, if the wall 23 includes aseries of closely spaced high windows onering no satisfactory supportfor the top of the ladder as in an enclosed porch, the brace It, beingsupported from the roof, still makes it easy and safe to paint such awall.

In the position shown in Figure 2, the brace it rests on the wall 23 ofthe building. For this position the brackets 28 and 30 are clampedaround the next to the highest rung of the ladder, while the hook 50 ofthe chain 48 is slipped over the highest rung of the ladder. Thisreversal of posit-ion as shown in Figure 2, prevents folding of thebrace [0 against the ladder, since collapsing tends to take placedownwardly instead of upwardly (as in the posiiton shown in Figure 1).

It will be noted that when mounted as shown in Figure 2, the ladderoffers free access to the eaves trough or gutter 2|.

In Figures 1 and 2, the brace 10 has been shown as resting against asingle surface, the extension arms 56 and 58 not being used. Such use isshown in Figure 3' where the rubber covered ends of theextension armsrest against the two walls 23 and 25 forming the corner 21. Whenthe'ladderl is mounted as shown in- Fi gu're 3 both wall'surfacesaroundthe'corner 21 are simultaneously accessible to a workman.

'Ifhewidth of the brace IQ (the distance between the rubber covered endsl26i'of the arms I8 and 20)" is' preferably' s ufficientxto span thewidth of astandard size window, topermit the workman to work with easedirectly above the window, as for painting, carpentry work or repair ofan eaves trough; to support a ladder more safely; and to permitsufficiently wide spacing of the rubber covered ends 60 of theyremovable extension arms 56 and 58 when the latter are used. The lengthof the arms of the brace should be such as to hold the ladder atconvenient arms length from the side of a building. The chain 48 shouldbe made sufliciently long to allow the brace to rest against a buildingat a safe angle preventing folding. The extension arms 56 and 58 shouldbe long enough to permit the rubber covered ends 60 to rest outside acorner with the cross bar 40 clear of the corner.

The specific brace shown in the drawing has been described merely by wayof an illustrative example. Many changes in structure may be madewithout departing from this invention. For instance, the brackets 28 and30 may be any suitable conventional means for removably attaching thebrace to a ladder rung at spaced points without danger of disengagementand characterized by suflicient frictional resistance against swingingmovement about the rung to maintain the brace in angular relationship tothe ladder while the ladder is being erected. In place of the chain 48,a rigid hooked bar swingable about the cross bar 40 may be employed. Anysuitable means may be employed for securing the extension arms 56 and 58to the brace arms l8 and 20. It is therefore not my intention to limitthe patent granted on this invention otherwise than necessitated by thescope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. An extension brace for a ladder comprising a generally U-shaped framehaving a straight bight portion and straight terminal leg portions,spaced clamps on the straight bight portion for attaching said brace toa ladder rung, a cross bar connecting the legs of said frame, a memberhaving a terminal hook swingably suspended from said cross bar forengaging another ladder rung, internally threaded sockets projectingforwardly from the insides of the frame legs at about a 45 angle, andextension legs having threaded ends threadedly received within saidsockets, the ends of said frame legs and of said extension legs beingcovered with rubber, said brace when clamped onto a ladder rung with thehook on said swingable member engaging another ladder rung being capableof support- 6 ing and spacing the top of said ladder from a structureagainst which said ladder is erected.

2. An extension brace for a ladder comprising a generally U-shaped framehaving a bight portion and leg portions, spaced clamps on the bightportion for attaching said brace to a ladder rung, a cross barconnecting the legs of said frame, a chain member having a terminal hookswingably suspended from said cross bar for engaging another ladderrung, and removable extension legs projecting forwardly and inwardlyfrom the insides of said frame legs, said brace when clamped onto aladder rung with the hook on said swingable member engaging anotherladder rung being capable of supporting and spacing the top of saidladder from a structure against which said ladder is erected.

3. An extension brace for a ladder comprising a generally U-shaped framehaving a bight portion longer than the rungs of said ladder and legportions adapted to extend forwardly from said ladder outside the ladderuprights, spaced clamps on said bight portion for attaching said braceto a ladder rung, a cross bar connecting the legs of said frame atpoints spaced from said ladder uprights, and a chain member having aterminal hook and swingably suspended from said cross bar for engaginganother ladder rung, said brace when clamped onto a ladder rung with thehook on said swingable member engaging another ladder rung being capableof supporting and spacing the top of said ladder from a structureagainst which said ladder is erected.

JAMES A. BURKE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 549,910 Endress Nov. 19, 18951,352,914 Plasclascovitie Sept. '14, 1920 1,553,279 Wirth Sept. 8, 19251,760,803 Wirth May 27, 1930 2,237,596 Eilers Apr. 8, 1941 2,327,317Randall Aug. 17, 1943 2,414,078 Wetzel Jan. 7, 1947

